Tony Gilroy and Adria Arjona on Andor’s Darkish Season 2 Scene

The primary season of Andor took moments to point out the small methods the Empire oppresses its folks. Season two’s premiere episodes proceed that thread, with the darkest instance to date coming in episode three, “Harvest.” Spoilers and a content material warning for discussions of assault beneath.

On a farming settlement, Cassian’s outdated buddy Bix Caleen (Adria Arjona) continues to be recovering from her torture on Ferrix final season. The Empire’s come for a routine inspection (and to seek out undocumented staff), and an officer has taken a selected curiosity in her, asking when her “husband” is coming dwelling and casually noting comms have been blocked. He then forces himself on her, leading to her killing him in a blow to a head and a declaration to the person’s subordinate: “He tried to rape me.”

In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Tony Gilroy—the present’s creator and author of this season’s first arc—mentioned it felt “natural and proper” to include the scene, which is a part of Bix’s “tough path” again to herself pre-torture.

“I get one shot to inform every part I do know or found about revolution and battles, with as many incidents I can get in there with out having the story tip over,” he defined. “I imply, let’s be sincere: within the historical past of civilization, there’s an enormous arterial element of it that’s rape. […] Armies and energy all through historical past have dedicated it.”

Star Wars has beforehand touched on sexual assault through Leia’s slave outfit and mentions of Qi’ra’s backstory in Solo, nevertheless it’s by no means proven an tried assault. Gilroy famous the “very clear” limits of intercourse and violence Andor is allowed, however in any other case, Disney had no pushback on the scene.

In a separate interview with Variety, Arjona recalled a mixture of feelings studying and filming the scene. On one hand, she admitted being “actually scared” beforehand, however she thought-about it “actually fucking highly effective” to get to do it on this franchise. “Bix is in probably the most weak state she will be able to doable be in, and somebody tries to make the most of her,” she mentioned. “We’ve heard that story many instances. The truth that Tony gave it to Bix was a giant honor—and it was proper.”

There was “a lot energy” felt in declaring the assault an tried rape, added Arjona, and suggested for “any girl, for anybody, when you’ve gotten a stranger, a male stranger, in your individual house, every part turns into survival.”

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